Hotels near Dragon Bridge

Cau Rong, the Dragon Bridge, opened in March 2013 on the thirty-eighth anniversary of the city's liberation and carries a 666-metre steel dragon across the Han River. At 21:00 every Saturday and Sunday, plus public holidays, the head breathes fire nine times and then sprays water over the deck. The whole show lasts about fifteen minutes and pulls a serious crowd onto both riverbanks well before it starts.

The best free viewpoint is the eastern riverside walkway near Tran Hung Dao street, where the dragon shows its full profile against the city lights. Arrive by 20:15 for a front position. The bridge deck itself closes to traffic from about 20:30 on show nights, and the water spray reaches the first few rows standing on it. On weekdays there is no performance - the bridge simply cycles through colours after dark.

Pro Tip: Watch from the Tran Hung Dao side rather than the bridge deck. You see the flame properly instead of standing underneath it, and you avoid the road closure that traps scooters in place until roughly 21:30.